PH Red Cross, partners empower youth, vulnerable groups through employment project

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) partnered with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), technical-vocational schools, and the Spanish Red Cross to help address youth unemployment through skills development initiatives.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Nov. 21, the PRC shared about its employment project to help the youth and other vulnerable groups gain skills for employment or self-employment.

The project also covers its beneficiaries’ tuition fees, meals, and transportation allowances.

“We are committed to assisting the youth and other vulnerable groups among our countrymen in finding employment or engaging in self-employment,” PRC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Richard Gordon said.

Moreover, PRC Secretary-General Dr. Gwen Pang shared that the project’s primary goal is “to enhance the connectedness of urban poor communities to access economic opportunities better.”

Based on the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) report in September, the unemployment rate among youth aged 15 to 24 was 13.1 percent—higher than the 4.5 percent overall unemployment rate.

On Nov. 13, 54 participants from Manila, Caloocan, and Pasay held their graduation ceremony at the Manila Atelier of Food Arts and Hospitality, Inc. in Manila, wherein they received certificates from the TESDA for completing baking, housekeeping, and caregiving courses.